Top News

21 July 2026

With the World Cup now firmly behind us, attention swiftly turns to the Premier League, which is set to kick off in just a month’s time.

Pre-season fixtures are already in full swing, offering fans plenty of moments to overanalyse — such as Manchester United’s 1-0 defeat to Hollywood-backed Wrexham in Helsinki.

Teams are using this period to reshape their squads for the upcoming campaign, with several high-value deals expected over the next six weeks. Notably, Elliot Anderson’s transfer from Nottingham Forest to Manchester City for a British record of £116m, Anthony Gordon’s near £70m move from Newcastle to Barcelona, and Aston Villa’s combined £85m investment in Swiss World Cup standout Johan Manzambi and Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes have already made headlines.

Tottenham Hotspur have been the most active side in the transfer market following their narrow escape from relegation last season. Roberto De Zerbi has added Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi, Andy Robertson and Martin Dubravka to his squad. However, young defender Luka Vuskovic’s £46m transfer to Brighton might quietly prove to be one of the summer’s standout deals.

Elsewhere, Manchester United boss Michael Carrick has rejuvenated his midfield with Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos. At Chelsea, Xabi Alonso’s project has attracted Marco Palestra and Geovany Quenda, while Leeds United have strengthened with the smart additions of Harry Wilson and Bosnian World Cup star Tarik Muharemovic.

Here are 10 more players who could be on the move before the transfer window closes next month:

This deal looks as good as done. Over the weekend, Aston Villa reportedly accepted a huge £117m bid from Chelsea for one of their key players — a record fee for both the Blues and a British footballer, just surpassing Manchester City’s purchase of Elliot Anderson.

Morgan Rogers is expected to complete his medical at Stamford Bridge early this week after returning from World Cup duty with England in the United States, with official confirmation anticipated soon.

The future of Rogers’ England teammate Marcus Rashford remains uncertain. Following a successful loan spell at Barcelona last season, the Spanish club opted not to activate the €30m (£26m) clause to make the deal permanent, instead signing Anthony Gordon to fill the left-wing role.

Rashford’s £40m release clause at Manchester United expired on 15 July, and he is now set to rejoin pre-season training at Old Trafford. While a future under Carrick remains possible, a move away could still be on the cards if any club is willing to meet his wage demands.

After England’s World Cup exit, Rashford posted on social media: “It’s time for me to rest, reflect, spend some quality time with family and friends, and come back a better version of myself.” This transfer saga could stretch throughout the window.

Arsenal have reportedly initiated talks with Newcastle United over Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, who is said to be eager to join the reigning Premier League champions. The Gunners have been tracking the 28-year-old, who has two years left on his contract, and are prepared to offer around £60m. However, Newcastle are holding out for closer to £75m, setting up an intriguing negotiation as Mikel Arteta seeks to bolster his midfield.

A younger alternative for Arsenal could be Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi, who impressed for Morocco during their World Cup run to the quarter-finals. The 18-year-old’s strength, composure, and passing range have drawn interest from several elite clubs. Manchester City are believed to be leading the race, valuing him at around €100m (£85m), particularly after reports suggested PSG have withdrawn from contention. City reportedly plan to integrate Bouaddi into their first team immediately rather than loaning him back.

Bournemouth are keen to retain midfielder Alex Scott and have offered him a new contract, but the 22-year-old has reportedly rejected their second proposal despite the club’s readiness to include a release clause. His current deal runs until 2028, giving Bournemouth leverage. Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester United are all monitoring the situation, hoping to prise him away from the south coast.

Chelsea, keen to reinforce their defence under Xabi Alonso, have identified Crystal Palace’s Maxence Lacroix as their top target. The 26-year-old featured three times for France at the World Cup and is reportedly open to the move. Negotiations are ongoing between both clubs and the player’s representatives.

Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall has drawn interest from Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, with the Magpies seeing a £46m bid rejected. Spurs also turned down Forest’s lower offer, as they aim to secure a higher fee. With Bergvall under contract until 2031, both Newcastle and Forest — who lost Sandro Tonali and Elliot Anderson respectively — are looking to reinforce their midfields. Bergvall, meanwhile, is eager for more opportunities in his preferred No. 8 role under De Zerbi.

France’s World Cup campaign offered Manu Kone the chance to shine after Aurelien Tchouameni’s injury, and the Roma midfielder made the most of it. Both Manchester United and Arsenal are now pursuing the 25-year-old, with United reportedly ahead in talks. Discussions with Roma have taken place, but an agreement has yet to be finalised.

Bradley Barcola, who featured prominently in France’s World Cup attack, has emerged as a target for Liverpool as they consider options to replace Mohamed Salah. The 23-year-old had limited involvement at PSG last season, and the French giants are now targeting Yan Diomande or Maghnes Akliouche as potential upgrades. Arsenal are also interested, but Liverpool are said to have tabled an official offer, with PSG weighing their response.

Rafael Leao has long been linked with Arsenal, but Aston Villa have now entered the race for the Portuguese attacker. With funds expected from the Rogers deal, Villa are in a strong position to act. They are also close to signing former Brighton left-back Pervis Estupinan from AC Milan, with Lucas Digne likely heading to PSG. Talks over Leao are ongoing but still in early stages, with the 27-year-old valued at around £50m. Tottenham are also monitoring developments.